Upper St. Clair’s football season ends

After Upper St. Clair lost to Penn-Trafford, 35-14, in the WPIAL Class 5-A semifinal playoff game at West Mifflin Stadium, head coach Jim Render had a candid talk with his players.
“I told them the truth. They had a nice year,” Render said regarding their 8-4 record that included a conference championship, “but we lost to a better team. Some nights you don’t win. That’s all.”
In watching the Warriors march their way from their own 1-yard line into the end zone on the game’s opening drive, the Panther faithful held out slim hopes for victory. In fact, Penn-Trafford led 28-0 before USC scored early in the fourth quarter.
At quarterback, PT was strong with Cam Laffoon completing 9 of 12 passes for 116 yard and one scoring strike. He also had a 1-yard TD run to cap the first scoring segment. At tailback, Caleb Lisbon flexed his muscle. He rolled up 108 yards on 10 carries. He caught a TD aerial and rushed for two scores.
While the Warriors (11-1) will face Gateway (11-1) in the finals set for 5 p.m. Nov. 18, the Panthers handed in their gear for the season. While the 2017 campaign ended on a sour note, it was not without its highlights. The Panthers edged Fox Chapel, 28-24, and West Allegheny in overtime, 21-20, to secure the Allegheny Nine title.
“We competed well in tough games,” Render said.